Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Well, it seems we are rather busy since we got back from WAO. I've entered Sizzle at the FCI World Championship Tryout. I was having two minds of whether to go or not the day before? It was very HOT and also my worried about Sizzle doing too much since WAO. He is still 100%, although he didn't show any sign of discomfort or lameness, you know your dog!

We woke up at 4am yesterday morning. It wasn't easy. I enjoyed the lie-in since Colin is out of work and Sonic grown up. I don't have to wake up early morning to get him out to toilet. He either hold or he is happy to use the Dog Flap to go into the garden on his own now. The puppy stage is over :)

The new Tryout venue is about 120 miles. I have to say I like the new venue. I've only been tryout twice (last year and this year). Last year's venue was too crowded and roasting hot. It was very small and hardly any air inside the indoor venue. I think everyone was struggling in the heat, poor dogs still worked very well. The new venue at The Alan Higgs Centre was big, I am no good in size but I guess it's probably about 5-6 times bigger than last year. The astro turf is different as well. They used it for indoor football. As the venue is much bigger and the roof is higher, we have enough air to breath through; although it was still hot at some point but at least everyone has room to move around easily.

this is the ring inside the venue

This year, we have some rubber contacts as well. DoggyJumps sponsor the equipment. I was glad that there was a electronic table for us to practice. There was supposed to be a table in one of the courses (Round 2 Agility course) but they replaced it with a jump instead. We were welcome to try out the electronic table that they put aside. I found it very good that we got to try something that we don't have/own obstacle and the dogs still do well with it. I had a go with Sonic as well and he loved it. He thinks that it's a new obstacle and is very keen to show himself off :)

Sizzle again was a good little boy. He ran clear in all 3 rounds (one Jumping and two Agility). I don't know what to expect, I know I'd like to get some International experienced and I am glad that we ran clear in these challenging courses the first time round. There is no second chance when you actually compete. I've learned from Leah that even at training, you still want to do the BEST the first time round like you actually competing and you want to win it; then use the second round as practice round. Leah is a great trainer and she is always so encouraging and motivating. She did push you to the limit though! I really like her! I am that kind of person that needs someone to kick my arse. Since I started training with her, one thing I sure learned ... RUN all the way to the very last obstacle! I used to be lazy with my handling. I know I taught my dogs to "go on" and I very much rely on my dogs to run home and I think most of my shelties are pretty good at that, I became even more lazy and hope that they will run to the last jump while I am still huffing and puffing catching them up.

Round 1, Jumping course. The obstacles in the actual course is slight different angled to the paper. I wasn't planing a front cross before the weave, I wanted to do "send and flip". I was having trouble practice the flat entry at home, he got the entry 100% but he can't collect himself to make the 2nd pole, so after watching a few people before me doing a front cross, I thought maybe on the safe side, I will make the front cross but after I came out and watched the video a few times, I regretted. I think when he is ahead of me, a front cross is a very bad idea! That slow him down and when he catch up on speed again, I did another front cross before the tunnel ... its like a stop start stop start scenario!

I don't think this is a particularly difficult course but there was only 3 dogs ran clear, that including Sizzle. The judge set a very tight 30 seconds course time for all heights. Only clever sheltie Fudge in the small made it in time. I remembered a few medium Collies finished in 28 seconds and only a couple of the Large Collies made it in time!

In Round 2, we had an Agility course. Again, the actual course is slightly different angled to the paper. I wasn't brave enough to leave Sizzle to do the weave on his own, so I set myself in a very bad position for the tunnel first time round. You really need a front cross or a very hard pull through to send the dog into the wrong end of the tunnel. I was a bit lost on that. I was so wound up because of the late front cross after the wall, I thought Sizzle went in the tunnel and came out the same end. Luckily, my mind told me to carry on. I still carry my WAO attitude, "run till the end like you never eliminated, no matter what"! Of course, Sizzle was right but then it look a bit hairy after that.

Round 3, is another Agility course, again the actual course is slightly different angled to the paper. This is probably my least confident course of all. My worried was the two pipe tunnels, then #12. As they rotate the height groups (In Round 1 - Small, Medium, Large; In Round 2 - Medium, Large, Small; In Round 3 - Large, Small, Medium); I got to watch the large dogs ran the course. I've seen so many dogs back jump #5 or back jump #12 to get eliminated. There is no easy way to handle this situation, I guess. You just have to trust your dog to understand the command "out around" to do #12. And Sizzle was such a good little boy, he did as told. As you can see from the video that he nearly came in to me but he took the jump as I told him to. I can't ask for a better dog! Then, my #12, #13, #14 got hairy! I meant to do a front cross after #12 but I didn't managed that because Sizzle nearly came into me, so I have to handle it a different way and his directional command was pretty bad LOL. I want him to turn left on the #14, instead he turned right but luckily he didn't take the jump and went straight up the A Frame, Phew!

After three rounds, we collected some points to put us through to the Final round. I know our time didn't look good compared to other dogs but I was rather happy that we ran clear in all courses. Not very often we ran a consistent clear. I knew I have in the past to have the consistent Eliminations but never a consistent Clear :) I am happy to know that we are up for courses like these!

Our Final round was a disaster :( In the last three rounds, we managed all the pull through, push through, out around and this Final one seems rather easy. This round is Small, Medium, Large. I was the first one on this course and I set a terrible example! With the tunnel sticking out quite a lot, I decided I will run down on the other side. From #1 to #2 involved handling. Of course, that will give me a bad position to do a front cross before the tunnel. The tunnel tuck right close to the A Frame and I do not want to risk taking the A Frame which I think Sizzle will rather prefers the contacts, so a front cross is needed for me. Again, I wasn't meant to put in another front cross after the Long Jump but an idiot like me often do something stupid. How on earth Sizzle decided to jump over the fence and the chair after #12, I have no idea! I can only put it down to my BAD handling and at the same time happy that he is rather agile, I don't think he will refuse an ODD obstacle on course :) Anyway, I managed to get him back to do the #13 the correct way but I was then told I got eliminated already! Thinking of how he did at the Gamblers at WAO, I should have layer the Dog Walk but why I decided not to at the very last minute, as you can see me hesitated, I don't know. I lost it! I don't know why I always LOST it at my final run! And I find it a bit painful and shameful to watch my last run :(

All in All, I think Sizzle did really well. He always give me his best shot. I love this little dog. I think I finally up-to-date with Sizzle, he will now on REST. Hopefully he will be ready in October to tryout for the WAO again.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

... so after the Opening Ceremony on Thursday evening; the Team had a lovely Chinese Wok buffet at the nearby restaurant to the Hotel. It made a nice different to us, as all week, Colin and I have been living on frites. Although the frites are very nice but 3 days in a row is not nice anymore!

We have a nice early start on Friday. I like the system that we have been grouped into 3 different groups. I think they randomly picked some countries and group them up together. Team England is in Group B, together with Wales, Jersey, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Denmark and a Wild Card Nigel Staines. There were 3 rings altogether; a main indoor ring and 2 outdoor rings, they rotate each group at each ring. This is the best system I have seen so far, no one is missing out of any of their runs and still be able to support their team-mates. I was a little bit lost on Friday morning, not knowing the system too well, I missed watching Team England at the outdoor rings in the morning. All my runs for the three days were all indoor and like what I normally do in England, I stayed at the rings that I will be running. Of course, I've learned and catch up with my team-mates at the outdoor rings. I really enjoyed watching everyone.

Funny enough, I was rather chilled and relaxed since I arrived on Monday. That is not like me at all. Normally, I will be restless, nervous, unsettled ... for a change, I was not bothered at all. We were given the course map first thing in the morning and then afternoon. I ran through the course in my head before walking it, so I roughly have the idea what the course is like before we can walk it for real. We only have 12 minutes for the whole Group and all heights to walk together. It's rather crowded and you really have to be pushy and not be shy. I am not a pushy person and I did struggle a bit to start with but I soon learned!

Sizzle got picked to do the Biathlon and Games. My first run on Friday morning was the Snooker, judge by Scott Chamberlain. I am not a Games expert, looking at the course map below for the first time, I haven't got a clue what to do or how to run it. Luckily, there are quite a few Games expert in our Team and they kindly guide me through the course map before walking. As to my understanding, you need to collect as many points as possible in the opening sequence. By looking at the course map, the 4 red jumps were well spread around the course and they are not close to the highest 7 points. You know your dog well and you need to plan to collect the highest points possible within time. I chose to collect 2 x 6 points and 1 x 7 points; reason being that doing the tunnel (6 points) is quicker that doing the 7 points jumps combinations. There is rule set on the 7 points jumps, you must take the middle jump #7a first then follow by the outside jumps (#7b then #7c) or (#7c then #7b) in the opening. I would not want to take the risk of collecting 3 x 7 points if we cannot finish them in the set time. I think that is a lot to ask for a little dog to do the jumps combinations. Sizzle ran rather well in the Opening and sadly got caught in the Closing weave pole. He took the entry beautifully but doubled up the poles; so we lost out on collecting more points in the Closing. He only collected 31 points in total and was lying 17th. I found that running Snooker is rather tricky as you need to run past
obstacles but I am so glad that Sizzle was very responsive and is always
with me when I need him to to be. He was a great little boy!

There weren't really a lunch break, they ran through it the whole day. My afternoon run was the Biathlon Jumping in the main ring. It is the same judge as our Snooker run in the morning. The course looked rather challenging on the paper but it was actually a nice flowie course with a couple of tricky bits. The most challenging part is #9, #10, #11, and #12. I know I won't be able to do a front cross before #9, so I will be behind Sizzle. I was hoping to trust him and send him to take #9 and do a rear across, that will give me a better position to RUSH to #11 to do a front cross. I needed that front cross to do a "out around" on #12. It looked a bit hairy but we ran clear! We were lying 9th after that round.

I was ended up "high" after our Biathlon Jumping. My aim is to get a clear round and we DID it. I was very very very happy. It was a long day, by the time we got back to the Hotel and got something to eat, its ready for bed. We have to be up at 4:30am as we need to be at the Venue around 5:45am! It was an extremely early start on Saturday! Sizzle and I only have the Gamblers run in the afternoon but it is good to be there to cheer for the Team. I like the Team Spirit.

The Gambler was judge by our English judge Lee Gibson. Lee has been all around the world giving seminar/training and he is an experienced judge. His course is always VERY challenging. You can look up his course here or on the WAO website for his WAO 2012 courses.

I am more confident in playing Gamblers but again this is an International Gambling course. I am greedy, I want to collect more points to push us up the scoring board. I want to work out a way that Sizzle and I can collect more points including the bonus points by not touching the see-saw. I know we have a slow see-saw and we will not risk taking too much time on that obstacle. It all worked out well for us the way we ran, sadly, he got penalised on his running Dog Walk, we lost out on the highest 5 points but he did the Gamble #2 of 20 points. I was so very proud of my little Sizzle. His sending on was amazing, he didn't even look out for me. We got 3rd in the class and missed out on the podium. We came overall 4th and was only 2 points out from Bronze. I am SO happy!! That's a big achievement for us first time at an International event!

It was a great surprised for coming 3rd. I was too busy taking photos while they were calling out for prize giving. All I heard was people calling ... Lian! Lian! Lian! ... I didn't even know what was going on as I was on the other side on the crowd! A big thank you to Bernadette to run up to the car to fetch Sizzle for me for the prize giving. I was over the moon!

Again, another long day but very happy. Sunday is the last day of competition, all runs were in the Main ring. I have the Biathlon Agility with Sizzle. The course was set by a Danish judge Thomas Ammitzbøll. My worried was the tunnel underneath the Dog Walk. We had to do the same tunnel three times, each time from different approach and different angles. Luckily, I have our Team Coach Anthony Clarke there to help me to pick the best route.

Deep inside me, I know how much I want to nail this run. I want to give it my best shot. I have a good position in the Jumping round and I am desperate to run clear. Unfortunately, the weave pole let us down again. Sizzle pop out of 10th pole. I knew then my podium dream place has vanished! After the weave mistake, we ran clear in the rest of the course with a slow hand clap from the judge and the crowd. I've learned that the slow hand clapping is actually an encouragement before the competition starts. I did ran my heart out like I wasn't eliminated at the rest of the course. The good point is Sizzle has a good see-saw. That's pleasing.

Team England has done well. We've made up 3 World Champions and numerous medallists! Congratulations to all! What a Team!

I've learned so much during the trip and enjoyed every minute throughout the entire Championship. Everyone is lovely, helping and supporting each other. I want to say a HUGE thank you to Tace-Allan Hunt, for warming Sizzle up before every of our runs. She is a great therapist and is always calm. Sizzle was definitely benefited a lot from Tace's warming up as he ran so well in all his runs.

Also, I would like to Thanks Bernadette for guiding me through the hard times and worries; and to reassure me and Sizzle that we are a great team. Without you, we won't be strong enough to stand in front of the big crowd!

My THANKS also go to ...

Leah who trains me and MAKE me RUN till the last obstacle! It's in my mind now, everytime I run, I always remember to keep running till the very last jump!

Saturday, May 26, 2012

What a FANTASTIC experienced and WONDERFUL time we had at WAO. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute out there with Team England. Sizzle and I are so proud to be a Team England member. Team England made us feel very welcome and all our team-mates were ever so supportive to each other through the good times as well as the down times. They are a nice bunch of people with some International experienced and some beginners.

We started off our journey very early on Monday, 14th, dropping Sonic to Nicolina who kindly look after him for us while we travel to Belgium. The journey was uneventful to start with, everything goes as planned ... until we hit Brussels. We got stuck in car accident after car accident ... we finally arrived in the Hotel in Roosteren in Netherlands 6:45pm, their local time. We have been travel 11 hours to get there! Phew! I was exhausted. Sizzle was a good little traveller that made the entire long journey so much easier.

Sizzle has a little stretch at Folkstone Terminal before the start of a long journey

Some of our team members arrived shortly after us. Some of them arriving on Tuesday. I've learned from my experienced to International Sheltie Championship show last year in Belgium, so I'd like to give myself and Sizzle plenty of time to settle down before the competition starts. We have Tuesday free, so we walked around Roosteren to stretch our legs and to get familiar with the surroundings. We also gone into the nearby big town to stock up some food for the week.

we visited the local SPAR convenient shop a lot during our stay at the Hotel. This is Sizzle looking up for some bread rolls :) photo taken on my iPhone

We are so lucky to have a Nature Reserve closer to the Hotel, so that the dogs get to stretch their legs off lead. There was a little green area in front of the Hotel where dogs had their quick toilet trips. Sizzle was a lucky boy that got walk a lot at the Nature Reserve with me and Colin.

Sizzle at Nature Reserve walk, photo taken on my iPhone

I thought I would struggle to drive on the "wrong" side of the road but from Roosteren to Neeroeteren (the venue in Belgium); the roads were so quiet and hardly any traffic, although there were road work here and there but my Sat Nav got us there with no problem at all.

this picture was taken with my phone on Tuesday when we went into Maaseik for food shopping. There were a lot of colourful paper statue around. The dragon on the background was HUGE! It was a dull rainy day, so I didn't bring my good camera. Sizzle was a good boy to let me take a photo of him in the rain :)

you can see more of these colourful animals on the photos

Our first visit to the venue De Warre was on Wednesday when we had our first Team training. We had a two-hour training for the Team but Sizzle and I took it very easy, only do a little bit here and there to warm him up and get used to the venue and surface. We had a 30 minutes official training on Thursday. This is our first time participating Internationally, I was very lucky and glad that I have so many friendly friends that help us and guide us through.

Sizzle's first visit to the venue

Team England's Kennel area

a very tired Sizzle resting at the Team England Kennel Area after Wednesday training

We also had our Team meal at the Hotel on Wednesday evening. It was a buffet but we had the hotel stuff serving us :)

this is only part of the meal, those little beef bomb :) I am not sure why there is a pineapple and some other vegetables there. We never get to eat those veg/fruit, I think it is for display only :) I have to say the meal was really yummy. I guess we were all very hungry after 2 hours training. We burnt a lot of energy! I particularly like the seafood, king prawn and fish! There were absolutely scrumptious! I kept asking for more!!

On Thursday, everything look very official. The Team is checking in, we were all given the official paperworks such as Car Pass, competitor wrist band for security purpose, welcome kit ... etc. After the Official Training session, we went back to the Hotel to have our Team England photos taken before the Opening Ceremony.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Sizzle is all bath, groom, packed and ready to travel to WAO! I am getting very excited about this trip. For a change, my nerves is gone for a little while. I have been chilled and relaxed with Sizzle over the last few days, we did our last bit of "fitness" on Friday, road walk on lead and little jog up the steep hill and some circle work. Phew! I feel good!

our silly fitness routine :)

We went to Sheltie Camp yesterday instead of Beacon Champ. The weather was perfect, partly sunny, partly cloudy, dry and breezy, absolutely perfect weather for the Camp. Over the last few years, it's always been roasting hot. I did little bit here and there with Sonic, very short sessions. Last Sheltie Camp he was only 12 weeks old. Ahhh!

Sizzle on daddy's lap watching and learning :) getting ready for WAO!

Sizzle was very keen to join in but he is on a strict rest :) I did the Good Citizen with him which he passed! Sonic also passed his Bronze Good Citizen and sadly Saturn "NOT READY" :), he did good until the down stay, it was a 2 minute down stay and he stood up at 1min 45sec! There were this Team of Bees people letting the bees nest at the back of the field and whole lots of bees were flying around :( Last year, Saturn did his 1 minutes down stay on Bronze Good Citizen. There was a wasp landed on his hip, Indira who did the Citizenship and I exchange eye contact. It was half a minute gone, I don't know what to do. To shoo the wasp off Saturn and continue the stay? Saturn's eyes were on the wasp but he didn't move and I was secretly hope that he can continue to stay put for another half a minute and he did. He didn't get stink by the wasp but it was a very funny and scary experienced. I should have taken Colin's advice to do the down stay test somewhere else LOL

Sonic amazed me by passing the Good Citizen. I am really proud of him. Apart from Agility, we got to try "tracking"! It's really exciting. I remembered years ago, Sing was a very good "tracking" sheltie, he used his nose well and I was very close to venture into Working Trial at one point but I was hook on Agility. I am glad that Sonic is good with his nose. At his 3rd attempt, he knew exactly what to do. I am well impressed!

Sonic tracking

Sonic doing a bit of Agility:

I will write up more about Sheltie Camp when we come back but for now, I am going to do my final round of packing! Wish us Luck!

Friday, May 04, 2012

Well, the weather changed again! It has been cold, wet and miserable! The weatherman said we will go down to -9c this weekend and possibly SNOW! The shelties got a short walk each day and got stuck in the house most of the time!

Poor Seagull is not doing well. He has been limping a lot today. He is not an active dog and does not enjoy his walk when it is wet and cold. I think he shows the sign of arthritis, he got stiff waking up in the morning. We tried to keep him warm as possible but he is a big fur ball and he hates to get too hot! I hate to see any of my dogs go lame! He is not the oldest but he definitely show the sign being OLD :(

We had a great training last night with Sonic. We got to do a long jumping sequence and he ran clear everytime! He, for a change, was very responsive to my command/cue when I got stuck behind, his directional command was good. I was well impressed with him and of course myself :) Sadly no video. Why everytime when I did something good, there is no video! Colin was video us in the garden on Wednesday and since, the camera went missing (misplaced)! Sipzie was a very naughty girl last night at training. Eventhough she is always wild but last night was out of control. I've got bitten more! Colin was very worried that I am going to turn mad, so he actually told Sipzie off before I exploded. I did come home with bruise :( She can't see the tunnel underneath the A Frame, she ran like a headless chicken, did her own jumps/tunnels ... oh dear!

Sizzle is looking better today, bright eyes and cheeky! I hope the rest has done him good. I still will not take a chance to go to any show this weekend (we were supposed to camp yesterday and compete today until Monday). He will continue resting up until WAO.

As the weather has been so miserable, the shelties are not so happy to stuck indoor, to keep them occupy in their happy mode, the best way is to give them some bones :) Since we go raw, the shelties get bones every 3/4 weeks but in this weather, they get treated more for stuck indoor :) I love my raw feeding. I see a big improvement in them, all the upset tummy problems are not out of the window; their teeth are cleaner; their toilet is less odour, it's much pleasant for picking up (that's for Colin's sake). Their coat also change, I give them Lamb bone every now and then, as Lamb is quite greasy, so I guess that help with the sheltie coat.

Sonic and Vindi are the best buddy! They keep us entertain all the time!

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

We have some crazy weather over the last 10 days. It hasn't been stop raining since? ... (that I can remember!), it was wet, cold and miserable. One good thing, the shelties are pretty hardy, they don't mind going out in this horrible weather, that makes life much easier. Funny enough, they knew their "walkie time". Everytime, when the clock hits 9am and if we are still hanging around without showing any sign of going out, they will keep coming to remind us their walkie time.

Poor Seagull hasn't been out much lately due to the weather. He is that kind of dog that won't go out when it is wet, not even in the garden. I don't know how he can hold his toilet for so long? Silly dog! If I "force" him to go out, he will turn around and come in! Crazy!

We have a lot of flash flood around here, lots of big puddles on the road and we have some temporary ponds in the Common. All our rain gear didn't get to dry up properly. We feel rather soggy everyday but the shelties enjoyed their walk, that's what matter.

We had one dry day yesterday! All day, it was warm, sunny and a little bit of breeze. I woke up early to walk the dogs, thinking the rain will come later. I walked Sing and Sizzle mainly on pavement, on lead for about 40 minute; then I decided Colin and I should take Saturn, Sipzie and Sonic for a long walk and we didn't plan that the long walk has turned out to be 5 hours walk! Phew! I am sure they enjoyed their long walk. You thought after a good solid 5 hours walk, they should be tired? Nope! Sonic was still going when we got home. I was exhausted and has to lie down for an hour before I can move!

these two photos were taken with my iPhone, I wasn't sure if I should bring my camera, just in case the rain come.

We made used of the good weather, we did quite a bit of gardening between us. I mow the lawn, it was much needed as I struggled to clear up the dog poos in the long grass and wet weather. Colin tidying up the willow tree branches and his "vegetable garden". Although the garden is not water logged but it is very slippery and muddy. I slipped a few times while training Sonic and Sipzie in the garden today. I did stand on my feet though.

After we finished with the garden last evening, the rain come again! Grrr ... it then went on to rain all night and this morning :( Colin was a good daddy, he took the dogs out while I stay in the dry! After 11am, the rain stops and sun came out. Such a crazy weather!!

Colin got to spend a few hours to do his gardening and I got to practice agility with Sonic and Sipzie. I've tried to reinforce Sipzie's 2o/2o on the DW. I still struggled to get Sonic to turn after the DW. Sometimes, I think we got it and sometimes we lost it altogether :( I have an old see-saw plank which I used it as a ground work to teach him to turn. He is brilliant on that, my marker is getting smaller each time. I think we have a big problem that he is not responsive to me. He likes to do whatever he wants to do. Our garden is long but not wide enough, so he will spin himself to go up the contacts (which are his favourites) where I want him to do something else. It annoyed me sometimes.

Away from Agility, I didn't stop practising for him to come to me using clicker and treat. He is great if I have his toys and clicker. If I have nothing, he don't always come to me. He is not a people friendly dog which sometimes make training harder. His recall is 101% when we are out. He still doesn't like people touching him, that including me. He sometimes come to me for a fuss and he will let me stroke him but if I call him over or go over to him, he will go away from me.

I started to do heelwork with him, I must say, although we are very raw but we are very slowly getting there with clicker & food. I am not sure what I do is actually helping as I do not want him to always look out for me, he is still a little bit clingy, I want him to be able to go away to do the obstacles independently especially when there is a straigtline, I want him to tackle the jumps without looking back at me.

His verbal directional cue on the DW is hopeless! He is turning well on jumps and on ground work but once he is on the DW, all he sees is straightline. I keep telling myself don't give up, go back to basic ...

I've been practice some left turn and right turn after the DW. This set up with the tunnel underneath the DW is for Sizzle but we didn't get a chance to practice as he is on rest at the moment; so I thought I will practice with Sonic to see if we can do it. I have to say, that take a lot of effort to teach him to turn sharp right into the tunnel. Good job that he is not worried that the black tunnel is underneath the DW.

We also practice some "sending" on the V Weave and half way recall. I think we need a lot of practice on the sending as he seems slower toward the port.